Depression and fatigue must be properly investigated and managed in HCV patients in order to improve HRQL. WHOQOL-BREF proved to be a useful instrument to assess HRQL in HCV patients.

564www.scielo.br/rsbmt I www.rsbmt.org.br Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 47(5):564-572, Sep-Oct, 2014http://dx.doi. org/10.1590/0037-8682-0147-2014 Major Article ABSTRACT Introduction: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction (SD) and dissatisfaction with sexual life (DSL) in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection (CHC) was jointly investigated via a thorough psychopathological analysis, which included dimensions such as fatigue, impulsiveness, psychiatric comorbidity, health-related quality of life (HRQL) and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Methods: Male and female CHC patients from an outpatient referral center were assessed using the Brief Fatigue Inventory, the Barrat Impulsiveness Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF). Structured psychiatric interviews were performed according to the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. SD was assessed based on specifi c items in the BDI (item 21) and the HAM-A (item 12). DSL was assessed based on a specifi c question in the WHOQOL-BREF (item 21). Multivariate analysis was performed according to an ordinal linear regression model in which SD and DSL were considered as outcome variables. Results: SD was reported by 60 (57.1%) of the patients according to the results of the BDI and by 54 (51.4%) of the patients according to the results of the HAM-A. SD was associated with older age, female gender, viral genotype 2 or 3, interferon-α use, impulsiveness, depressive symptoms, antidepressant and benzodiazepine use, and lower HRQL. DSL was reported by 34 (32.4%) of the patients and was associated with depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, antidepressant use, and lower HRQL. Conclusions: The prevalence of SD and DSL in CHC patients was high and was associated with factors, such as depressive symptoms and antidepressant use. Screening and managing these conditions represent signifi cant steps toward improving medical assistance and the HRQL of CHC patients.

rESUMoA vitamina B12, ou cianocobalamina, desempenha importantes funções metabólicas e neurotróficas. Sua deficiência está associada a distúrbios hematológicos, neurológicos e psiquiátricos. É relatado o caso de uma paciente com depressão refratária ao tratamento com antidepressivos que melhorou somente após a detecção e o tratamento da deficiência de vitamina B12. Esse relato ilustra a importância de o psiquiatra considerar causas secundárias de depressão em casos refratários. . É interessante notar que, segundo alguns trabalhos, níveis mais elevados de vitamina B12 estiveram associados a melhores resultados em pacientes com depressão maior tratados com antidepressivos 2 . Neste relato, descreveu-se o caso de uma paciente com transtorno depressivo refratário ao tratamento psicofarmacológico tradicional, que evoluiu com remissão dos sintomas depressivos logo após a correção de deficiência de vitamina B12. rElato DE CaSoTrata-se de paciente de 42 anos, do sexo feminino, solteira, sem filhos, católica, com primeiro grau completo, desempregada há cerca de seis meses, período em que interrompeu o trabalho que desempenhava como auxiliar de serviços gerais a fim de cuidar do pai que estava doente. A paciente solicitou ao seu clínico-geral um encaminhamento para acompanhamento psiquiátrico, pois persistia com sintomas depressivos a despeito do uso de amitriptilina na dose de 50 mg/dia,

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